1. This is a difficult question to analyze. The Cavs were extremely shorthanded; but so do the Heat. The Cavs looked pretty lethargic early on; then I really turned it on towards the end.
2. Miami led by 11 at one point; the Cavs’ largest lead was four. But they held on to that lead with 1:34 left.
3. Next Terry Rozier arrived. Northeast Ohio basketball fans likely know Rozier, a Youngstown native and Shaker Heights product. Cavs fans certainly know him, as he has been killing their team for years. First with the Charlotte Hornets, and now with the Heat.
4. Rozier scored nine points in the final two minutes, just when all seemed lost. Four of those points came via a step-back 3-pointer, just above Isaac Okoro, who also made the mistake. Rozier made the free throw.
5. As Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff suggested, Okoro had good defense. Just better offense from Rozier. “They made some tough shots,” Bickerstaff said, and man, oh man, was that an understatement.
6. Yes, the Cavs (43-26) were still missing Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley And Dean Wade. But the Heat (38-31) was without Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herroold friend Kevin Love, Duncan Robinson And Josh Richardson.
7. Get all those injured players together and you might be able to reach the final.
8. But it also gave this one the feel of a preseason game…and then in the fourth quarter, a playoff game.
9. The Cavs had a chance to tie, but Garland of Darius had to force a wild 3-pointer at the buzzer and he narrowly missed.
10. And yet the Cavs haven’t won consecutive games since February 25-27. It’s basically been a month. For what it’s worth, Milwaukee lost to Boston, so the Cavs remain one game out of first in the Central Division and second in the Eastern Conference.
11. Jarrett Allen was fantastic again with 25 points and 20 rebounds. Equally impressive was how he held his own when the Heat did everything possible to ensure he was replaced defensively – and found themselves facing smaller players on the perimeter.
12. Garland finished with 20 points and nine assists (but only one in the second half), Georges Niang added 18 points, and Caris LeVert had 16 and 12 assists. In the meantime, Sam Merrill made 4 of 9 shots, all threes, for 12 points.
13. LeVert again refused to let key injuries serve as an excuse. “We always think we can win these games,” he said. “I should have won tonight.”
14. He’s right. The Cavs probably should have done this. But let’s say this: They give up most of the time, even on their worst days. The Heat were simply more disjointed when it meant the most.
15. Specifically, after a brief drought, the Heat have scored on each of their last five possessions. No matter who is on the court or how the season is going, they always seem to be in contention for a win under coach Erik Spoelstra. The Cavs are really fighting; but the Heat essentially invented the word.
16. This is particularly the case with Jimmy Butler, who scored a record 30, and again through sheer willpower. Rozier finished with 24 and went 5 of 6 from three.
17. And it’s not going to get any easier. The Cavs will visit the Minnesota Timberwolves West on Friday, then face the Heat again on Sunday, this time in Miami. They have played three times this season and the home team has lost each time.
18. Bad defeat for Cleveland? Not really. If you consider all the injuries, the grade becomes just another “incomplete.” But they need to do a better job of closing out some of these games. Not always, but sometimes.
19. Like us relayed here, Mobley, Strus and Wade could be getting closer to a return. Not all at once, but perhaps little by little.
